Winfield Garage
Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas
Marker Inscription
By 1919 Fort Worth had become a booming commercial center because of the oil and cattle markets. To accommodate this growth, the Winfield Garage was opened in April 1920 and operated a livery service with 25 touring cars and limousines. Designed by the architectural firm of Sanguinet & Staats to park 325 vehicles, it was called the largest and most modern in the state. The garage hosted the city's first annual auto show, which attracted about 50,000 visitors. Later the facility housed other businesses related to the auto industry.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
When the Winfield Garage opened in 1920, Fort Worth was booming on oil and cattle money, and this multi-story facility—designed by the noted firm Sanguinet & Staats to hold 325 cars—was billed as the largest and most modern in Texas. Beyond parking, it ran a fleet of touring cars and limousines and hosted the city's first annual auto show, which drew some 50,000 visitors.
Why it matters
The garage marks the moment the automobile reshaped American cities, when the car went from novelty to the organizing force behind a modern urban economy.
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Related people
- · Sanguinet & Staats
Themes & tags
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